Better, Faster, Stronger, Smarter

I'm not proud of it, but it's true: There's something grand about Del Taco's #14 combo meal — just the right amounts of grease and substance.

And while the prospect of two tacos, one quesadilla and a soda is enough to send a glutton into a fit of joy, remembering that the location closest to my home doesn't accept credit cards is enough to send yours truly into a "This is 2011, if we can put a man on the moon, certainly you can accept a credit card!" rage.

Sure, I could pay with cash (if I was carrying it), or even my ATM card. But as my arm reaches through the driver side window to punch my pin number in a germ-ridden keypad, I can't help but reflect on the importance of convenient, hassle-free transactions.

While the simple procurement of a credit card machine isn't a complex business decision, it instantly puts a business like Del Taco onpar with similar fast-food alternatives. If not for taste, then for how money is exchanged.

Always Make it Better

This isn't to say that Del Taco isn't a successful business; it is.

But do you know who else is finding a bit of success? Apple — you may have heard of them.

In fact, in January, Apple sales in the U.S. were up 20 percent. That sort of growth is unheard of. And yet, despite its continued profits, tech blogs report Apple considering a new MacBook Pro design, a Final Cut Pro user interface change, and an overhaul to the Genius Bar and how it's available to small businesses. That's substantial change in a time of blatant success.

If a global giant such as Apple continues finding new ways to make its products, its communication with customers, and its overall brand better, don't you think you should, too?

How to Make Your Business More Convenient

The tech industry is radically changing, and making your business easy to find and do business with is vital to your success.

Square

In last month's issue, I wrote about Square — a mobile commerce solution. It's a free application that uses a mobile device — qualified Android smartphones, iPod touch models, or an iPad — empowering you to accept credit card payments on the spot. Square provides immediate new opportunities for small business owners, from the hairdresser making house calls, to the farmer selling fresh fruit out of his van, to the Girl Scout selling Thin Mints.

As a business, your sales aren't dictated by the amount of cash your clients have. Instead, your brand is only limited by your own product's reputation and your business' marketing capabilities. If you really want to make your business more convenient, use Square to accept credit card payments whenever and wherever your customers are ready to hand over their money.

Location-based marketing

Foursquare, Gowalla and Facebook Places are the big players here. Using your mobile device's GPS capabilities, you can use these apps to see what businesses or landmarks are geographically near you, take advantage of special deals, and "check-in" to that business — for instance "I'm at Rhyno Marketing, Valencia, CA." And then, share that information with your followers and friends. In my opinion, location-based marketing is what the Yellow Pages should have evolved into when it first ventured into online marketing.

How to be More Productive as a Business Owner

As a small business owner, you wear a lot of hats. These apps are designed to make your life just a little more manageable.

Evernote

I wrote this article with an app called Evernote; I have been using it for the last week or so — a little on my laptop, a little on my phone later that day. Available both a desktop app as well as mobile, Evernote syncs your notes, photos or audio recording throughout its use.

Last week, I used Evernote to record a fourchord guitar progression and e-mailed it a minute later to a business partner. Tomorrow, I'll use it to draft an e-mail to a new client. And next week, I'll likely use it to take a photo to remind me of a blog post I want to write. It's versatile, it's easily compatible across multiple devices for collaboration, and best of all, it's free.

To-do lists

Staying organized is of the utmost importance to the success of your business.

Using a BlackBerry with Gmail Tasks, I heavily rely on Gmail Task Sync — which syncs to-do entries between my BlackBerry and my Gmail desktop tasks. When I consult my phone, my tasks are there. When I open Gmail on my laptop, the same tasks, due dates, and details are there, too.

For those not limited by the old technology of mobile devices such as BlackBerry, you might opt for an iPhone or Android app like TeuxDeux or Remember the Milk. You might have a user interface preference of your own, but in its simplest form, most to-do services provide the same features — reminders, syncs, collaboration and organization.

Third party social marketing clients

If your business has a social media presence on platforms such as Facebook or Twitter, a third party social marketing client is integral to your continued social success. Once you leave the office, you're unable to monitor social activity, replies or comments — nor are you able to update your own status at special events or activities away from your computer.

Mobile social marketing clients such as TweetDeck, HootSuite, Seesmic and UberSocial enable users to maintain more than one social account at the same time. With mobile apps like this, it's less about client preference and more about its availability on your mobile device — some are compatible, others haven't yet been developed.

So while you're in a waiting room, you're still able to view any tweets in your direction. At your special event, you can take a photo of the attendees and post to your Facebook page. With third party apps, you maintain a consistent online presence. And that's a big deal, because your customers don't stop shopping at 5 p.m.

Google Apps

My wife and I were shopping at Pottery Barn last July. She was admiring the pillows. I was checking the availability of domains via Google Apps. She bought some candles and a new pillow cover with her credit card. I bought www.SmartMarketingBook.com with my phone.

But Google Apps isn't limited to purchasing domains. Apps include access to Gmail, Talk, Calendar, Reader, Picasa, Reader and several other connectivity features that work for small businesses.

As a small business, it's daunting to try and manage your business — and your personal life — alone. But with apps such as the five we covered above, you'll find organizing your business (and then, making it more profitable) is a realistic, attainable goal.